Banning City Council Set to Tackle Referendum, Airport Lease, and ADU Zoning in Busy July Slate
Banning's City Council dominated the past two weeks of government activity, with multiple special and regular meetings scheduled to weigh a referendum on three zoning ordinances, a proposed ground lease for 232 acres at Banning Municipal Airport, and adoption of new accessory dwelling unit rules. All meetings listed below were agenda-only as of this report — minutes have not yet been published, so outcomes are not yet confirmed.
City Council — Referendum Decision on Three Ordinances
The Council's July 14 regular meeting agenda called for a decision on whether to repeal Ordinance Nos. 1618, 1619, and 1620 or place them before voters in a November 3, 2026, municipal election. Those ordinances cover the Sunset Crossroads Specific Plan, residential zoning, and a development agreement with NP Banning Industrial. Referendum petitions had been filed against all three.
The same agenda included adoption of Ordinance No. 1624, a zoning text amendment for accessory dwelling units and junior ADUs.
City Council — Consent and Financial Items
Several dollar-figure items appeared on the July 14 agenda:
- Approval of June 2026 city attorney invoices totaling $118,090.68.
- Resolution 2026-105 authorizing up to $60,000 for bucket-truck inspections and repairs through Altec Industries, Inc. for FY 2027.
- Resolution 2026-107 accepting a $25,000 donation from the Morongo Band of Mission Indians for the Fourth of July celebration.
- Resolution 2026-109 awarding on-call grant-writing and management services up to $100,000.
- A fee-waiver request from the Stagecoach Day's Association for up to $38,000.
The Council was also scheduled to discuss a possible cannabis warehouse moratorium, the city's Emergency Operations Plan status, and utility billing recovery efforts.
City Council — Closed Sessions on Airport and Park
Special meetings on July 13 and July 14 were set aside entirely for closed-session discussions. The most significant real-property item was a proposed ground lease for Banning Municipal Airport — approximately 232.41 acres across multiple parcels — with Industrial Enterprises, LLC.
The Council also planned to negotiate price and terms of payment for A.C. Dysart Park, located at 2101 W. Victory Avenue (APN 537-190-016), with Mayra Alejandrina Esquivel.
Closed-session agendas listed labor negotiations with IBEW (General and Utilities units), Teamsters, the Banning Police Officers Association, and management groups. Three potential litigation cases were also listed for discussion with legal counsel.
Planning Commission — Leadership Election and Use Permit
The Planning Commission's July 15 agenda included election of a Chair and Vice-Chair for the 2026 calendar year, approval of minutes from September 10, 2025, and May 6, 2026, and consideration of Conditional Use Permit No. PCUP25-0003 for Performance Physical Therapy at 3055 W. Ramsey Street. The agenda called for adopting a categorical exemption and a resolution on the permit.
Historic Preservation Commission — Meeting Cancelled, Then Rescheduled
A July 9 agenda notice stated that the July 16 Historic Preservation Commission meeting was cancelled. A separate July 16 agenda then listed items including a proposed draft amendment to Banning Municipal Code Chapter 17.58 and a review of the Table of Historic Resource Designations. Whether that meeting proceeded as scheduled could not be confirmed from the available records.
Coming Up
No upcoming meetings are listed for the next 14 days. Residents should check the city's official meeting calendar for any newly posted agendas. Minutes from the July meetings listed above have not yet been published; once available, they will confirm what was actually decided versus what was only discussed.